Micky Balsamo's Murcia Blog

                                                                                        Last Blog Post;(             I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM WRITING THIS BLOG POST BACK IN THE STATES!!!! :(          Returning to the states has opened my eyes to just how differently the life I was living in Spain was compared to my reality in the US. Culture was a very prominent aspect of my everyday life during my time in Murcia, whereas I feel like at home the average daily living is not dependent on cultural values, traditions, or beliefs. Reverse culture shock is an extremely eye opening experience for me that I have actually found to be very challenging and troubling for me. I felt like I resonated...

  Lifestyle and Values       The lifestyle of my host family is definitely shockingly similar to my family at home's style of living. In my house, we have always ate dinner extremely late at night, which many of my friends at home have found very surprising. To me this is completely normal because my family is made up of all night owls, and since a young age we have all always had commitments late at night. In Murcia, my family usually eats around 9:00 pm which is exactly when I eat at home. Similarly, my family partakes in our own version of the Spanish siesta. Considering my family wakes up very late we eat large meals in the middle of the day and all nap after. From the hours of 3-5 pm my family can usually all be found asleep (during the weekends at least). My ideal style of living would definitely be the type of schedule I have had since coming to Murcia. I enjoy the fact that an emphasis is placed on sharing meals together, because this is my family's love lang...

  Personal Development      I have found that I have had. a great deal of personal development while embarking on this experience out of the country. Aside from class or immersion activities, I have changed as a human being and as a citizen as a result of experiencing different culture and learning to adapt to the norms of others. I find this to be a very humbling journey that has also allowed me to put myself in a vulnerable position to feel like an outcast doing daily tasks. Coming into this experience, I was constantly embarrassed to even attempt to speak in Spanish or understand what others might be saying. I also felt as though very person on the street could look at me and know I was from America, and that I am lesser than them. I felt almost like an invasive species. It has taken a lot for me to step out of this nervous and standoffish way I had been acting in in order to better immerse and challenge myself to try to make an effort to learn how to feel more co...

 It is safe to say that this past week and a half in España has humbled me in a variety of ways that I did not know I could be humbled in prior to this experience! Having never left the country before this, I could not comprehend the frustration of struggling to communicate with others for simple everyday tasks. I find myself anxious to enter stores, cafes, bars, etc. because I am worried I will either sound insanely stupid and incorrect, or be at a complete loss for words in my attempt to communicate with individuals about my needs and wants. This is a challenge I never accounted for in the United States, given that I grew up around all English speakers, and never traveled outside of the states. While this is frustrating and challenging, I also have found a new perspective of looking at conflict, where I have began to take on the challenge and try my best to incorporate what I have learned in my everyday experiences without the constant fear of sounding stupid or being incorrect. ...